Queensland Labor has introduced new policies to counteract what the Labor left terms hate speech or banned symbols or tattoos.

Banning the the display of hate symbols, such as those representative of Nazi ideology, and increased penalties for offences that are motivated by hatred or serious contempt and the existing offence of serious vilification have been included.

Defining some members of the ALP as communists could well come under these new policies.

The Criminal Code (Serious Vilification and Hate Crimes) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 gives effect to four key recommendations made by the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee in January 2022 to strengthen Queensland’s hate crime laws.

A new ‘Prohibited symbols’ offence will be introduced to protect the community from the distress and insecurity associated with the display of hate symbols.

Under the new offence, public display, public distribution, or publication of prohibited symbols in circumstances that might reasonably be expected to cause a member of the public to feel menaced, harassed or offended are prohibited, unless the person has a reasonable excuse.

The offence is intended to capture a broad range of circumstances, including the public display of tattoos and the public distribution or publication of prohibited symbols online.  

The reforms also amend existing offences to provide for a new circumstance of aggravation for offences, including common assault, going armed so as to cause fear, threatening violence, assault occasioning bodily harm, wilful damage, trespass and public nuisance.

Criminals who commit these offences while motivated, wholly or partly, by hatred or serious contempt based on race, religion, sexuality, sex characteristics or gender identity will face increased penalties including longer custodial sentences.

These provisions are intended to give the courts greater ability to treat these offences as more serious and therefore deserving of a more severe punishment.

It should be noted Atkinson is an electrical engineer by profession as well as a great comedian.

Cairns News once saw a photograph of a prominent political figure who sported a tattoo on her bum. It would appear she now has to wear clothes to keep it hidden.